


Frostbit, Moonlit

by CasTheButler



Series: The Burning Of Alexandria [7]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: 2018 AFTG Winter Zine, Andrew is Jack Frost, Immortality, Love, M/M, Magical Realism, Non-Linear Narrative
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-16 13:41:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18095405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasTheButler/pseuds/CasTheButler
Summary: “I made a promise,” he says and returns his gaze to the sky.“What’s the point in waiting for someone for all of eternity?” Aaron asks and Andrew hates him.





	Frostbit, Moonlit

**Author's Note:**

> This was my entry for the aftg winter zine, I'm not 100% sure if this version is the finally edited piece that physically went in, in the end but the changes would only be minor - nothing drastic to the vision of the story. I do hope that you enjoy it and that I haven't forgotten to, or mis-tagged anything. If I have please politely let me know in the comments.

Jack Frost stares up at the moon as he sips on the warm drink he is cradling in his hands. The whole city is covered in ice and snow, his job is done. 

“Andrew,” a voice comes from the left and Andrew turns to face his twin. “The boy in the moon cannot come to see you.” Aaron tells him this as though speaking the words has exhausted him. Andrew supposes that may be fair, he himself tires from hearing them. 

“I made a promise,” he says and returns his gaze to the sky. 

“What’s the point in waiting for someone for all of eternity?” Aaron asks and Andrew hates him. 

“Would you not wait for that woman of yours” 

“That's isn't the point Drew, Please” 

“Don't” Andrew hisses, still staring at the moon. He doesn't notice when his brother leaves. 

❄

“It'll drive you insane,” says Riko the next night. 

“Go fuck yourself” is Andrew's reply. Riko hands him a cigarette. 

“You're a fool, Jack,” Riko tells him, but Andrew can't hear it over the burning nicotine in his lungs. Riko places a hand on Andrew's shoulder. Andrew clenches his jaw tight enough for it to ache, he waits a couple of agonizing beats and then turns to punch Riko in the face. “I deserved that,” Riko says, cradling his cheek. “Is it so bad I don't want you to end up like me?”

“A madman and a fool,” Andrew snarls. It's the most emotion he's shown in recent memory. 

❄❄

It's Renee who comes next with her pastel hair and her tidy clothes and her fake religion. 

“It's only fake if you let it be,” she tells him wisely, offering a piece of his favourite chocolate cake. He eats it sitting on the frozen ground. 

“Aaron has found a child to play with for the winter,” Renee says. Andrew hums softly. 

“I'm glad, he was always a better Jack Frost than me.”

“Neither of you are better, just different.”

❄❄❄

Aaron brings the young child to him. A boy named Kevin with a much too serious expression. 

“There are two of you,” 

“No there is one of me and one of him.” Andrew drones out.

Kevin mulls this over in his mind before nodding and turning his attention to building a snowman. 

“Why do you stare at the moon like that?” Kevin asks him. 

“Well someone has to make sure the little rabbit doesn't get hurt,” Andrew says, handing Kevin a carrot for the nose. 

“A rabbit couldn't live on the moon. There's no oxygen,” says Kevin seriously. 

“Indeed.” 

Kevin clicks his tongue in annoyance and proceeds to ignore Andrew until Aaron comes to collect him. 

❄❄❄❄

“Gods damn you,” Andrew whisper screams at the sky, his fingers buried in the snow. He feels numb to everything except for the thrumming of his heart against his chest. “I hate you.” He's on his back now, exposed to the moon. It's full tonight and the reflection of the sun is causing a bright red hue. He can see his love run and trip and stumble across the surface. “You can choke on your own destiny for all I care.” The moon has made him a liar. 

❄❄❄❄❄

Matt and Dan come together, of course they do, they spin against each other’s orbits and create the eye of their own storm. It's hard to tell where one begins and one ends. It's beautifully disgusting

“Come inside at least,” Dan orders. 

“Or else we'll build a house around you,” Matt continues. Andrew ignores them. He wonders if the want to put your arms through someone's ribs to be closer them, is his own thoughts, or the madness people say he's going to succumb to. The next thing he knows he's in an armchair with a blanket tossed across his legs. 

❄❄❄❄❄❄

“I'm Neil,” says the boy. His clothes are torn to shreds. His mouth is dripping with red and Andrew can't tell if it's from blood or cranberries. 

“Why the fuck should I care?” Andrew asks. Neil shrugs and grins slyly. Andrew wants to kiss him, bad enough that it aches. 

“Come on,” Neil chases after him. “This is a nice change.” 

Andrew raises an eyebrow.

“Running after something instead of running away.”

“You’re an idiot,” he tells Neil. Neil laughs. 

❄❄❄❄❄❄❄

Neil is gone by morning leaving only a note in looping, cursive writing. Watch the moon. So Andrew does as he’s told out of morbid curiosity. Maybe he shouldn’t have, for when he sees a flicker across the moon he wants to sob.

❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄

The first child who comes to him is a girl. Her blonde hair is braided neatly and her clothes are expensive but her eyes are cold. The cloak wrapped around her inlined with fur and her cheeks are rosy red. 

“Are you the mad king?” asks the girl. 

“I very well might be, nobody’s told me otherwise,” Andrew replies. The girl narrows her eyes at him and taps her tiny foot. 

“I doubt that you are,” she says. 

“Oh?” 

“I think that you are Jack Frost, out here in all of this ice.” 

 

“What do you presume to be the difference?” 

The girl paces back and forth a few times, chewing on the edge of her thumb. 

“A tea party,” she finally concludes and Andrew says,

“This isn’t Alice in Wonderland.” 

❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄

“You do know he’s coming back, whether you watch for him or not,” comes a gruff voice. 

“I made a promise,” Andrew says. “Have you come to play again, David?” His old friend’s bones creak as he sits down next to the Jack Frost. 

“I’m too old for that now,” David says. 

“We’re all too old for this now, but the seasons keep barrelling through and never ever stop.” 

David pulls a bottle of cheap whiskey from his bag and hands it over. 

“You couldn’t have gotten me something better?”

“Don’t be picky you little brat.”

❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄

“Don’t give up hope, there’s got to be something here, anything,” Jeremy shouts. He’s yelling, not out of anger, but out of excitement. 

“Don’t tell me that, just don’t fucking--” Andrew takes in a sharp intake of breath and lets it out through his nose. 

“Then I won’t. I won’t, but I’m not giving up hope.” 

❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄

Andrew is tired, he misses the warmth of the sun. The way it melts his bones. His friends bring him gifts wrapped in shiny paper and Nicholas, dear sweet Nicholas fills Andrew's belly with endless eggnog. 

“You're a saint, Nicholas,” Andrew says softly. Nicholas chuckles. 

“I think you're confusing me with someone else, Cousin,” he says. 

“I'm never confused,” replies Andrew. 

“Neil will come home soon, you'll see,” Nicholas says cheerfully. 

“Yes, Neil is a perfect little wind-up clock. Absolutely no breakdowns in his mechanism.” Andrew says, drawing his words out with bitter sarcasm. Nicholas lays a hand on the edge of Andrew's shoulder and tells him, 

“I think his mechanisms break for you,” 

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ 

“It'll be springtime soon and the children will leave,” Mr. Moreau sighs wistfully. They have tea and sandwiches together. 

“You like the children, the sounds of laughter and youth,” Andrew replies. Mr. Moreau hums in acknowledgement. 

“I am old and blind...” 

“... like little mice.” Andrew finishes. Mr. Moreau laughs heartily, 

“That love of yours is to return soon,” he says once he sombres. 

“He isn't returning home from war,” Andrew snaps, cold like the air around them. 

“Is he not?” questions Mr. Moreau. 

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ 

It's the day, the one day, the only day. Andrew's heart flutters into his throat. The ground beneath his feet is frozen but welcoming. He watches a light fall from the sky and stands up. Andrew narrows his eyes at Neil. 

“Hello, dearest,” breaths Neil and he steps cautiously into Andrew's arms. Jack Frost melts away leaving behind only two men in an eternal embrace. 

“You came back,” says Andrew into Neil's neck. The moonchild clings tighter. 

“I always do.”

“I believe you less and less each time.”

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ 

“Shouldn't you be leaving?” Andrew asks between bruising kisses. Neil rolls onto his stomach, propping himself up on his forearms. The sunlight catching on his hair, causing the red to shimmer.

“Would you like me to leave?” 

Andrew narrows his eyes at his lover. 

“I can stay this time.” 

There's a deafening, all-consuming pause. 

“You promised you'd never lie to me.” 

“And I never have. Seth is going to take the run,” Neil replies. 

“He doesn't seem the martyr type,” Andrew muses aloud. 

“He owes me a favour.” 

“The stars are going to miss you,” Andrew informs him. Neil shrugs and grins. 

“I'm sure Laila and Sara will have lots of fun protecting a new charge,” he says, leaning forward to catch Andrew's face with his hands and drag him into another kiss. The stay like that on the ground until flowers bloom. 

“Welcome home.”

**Author's Note:**

> I tried my best, and I haven't looked at this for a while so it probably isn't very good, but I wanted you all to have it anyway.


End file.
